


When You All Need a Therapist

by morcabre



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Hopefull Ending, Identity Porn, M/M, Mildly Dubious Consent, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-12
Updated: 2018-07-12
Packaged: 2019-06-05 06:06:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15164291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/morcabre/pseuds/morcabre
Summary: A piece of paper was ridiculously difficult to find in Wakanda. Bucky stared at it for a while before finally writing down:'Dear Tony Stark,Sorry I fucked it up between you two.Sincerely,Bucky Barnes.'





	When You All Need a Therapist

**Author's Note:**

  * For [dirigibleplumbing](https://archiveofourown.org/users/dirigibleplumbing/gifts).



> Written for the prompt:  
> After the MCU Civil War, Steve takes on the vigilante Nomad persona to help people where Accords-approved action isn’t fast enough or doesn’t happen at all. Bucky stays in Wakanda after leaving cryo, working on healing and taking some time to himself. Steve visits Bucky when he can, thrilled to have his best friend back. Bucky notices that Steve misses home, though, and comes to realize that that home is Tony Stark. Bucky decides the way to make Steve happy again is to fix things between Steve and Tony.

***

A piece of paper was ridiculously difficult to find in Wakanda. Bucky stared at it for a while before finally writing down:

'Dear Tony Stark,

Sorry I fucked it up between you two.

Sincerely,  
Bucky Barnes.'

Stevie probably wouldn't have appreciated neither the language, nor the intention behind the whole thing, but Bucky was tired enough of seeing him frowning perpetually, like his face got stuck like that at some point. He figured, by now they were all way beyond such petty worries.

He stared at the pathetic result of about half an hour of hard thinking on his part, sighed heavily and went on his quest of finding T'Challa and cautiously inquiring, how close his association with Stark was these days and if it was, by any chance, close enough to pass a letter.

***

The only thing Steve chose for himself was the name - Nomad. The intel came from S.H.I.E.L.D., as well as the ridiculously revealing costume that drew snickers from what was left of his team when Steve donned it the first time and the jet that was going to pick him up a few miles away from the Hydra's base. It was his fourth mission since Siberia - putting wrecks in Hydra's operations, retrieving the data stolen at the time Hydra had control of the S.H.I.E.L.D. and even some parts of the government.

Steve wasn't quite sure how it all worked out with the S.H.I.E.L.D. exactly, what with him being a fugitive, but it felt good to have a purpose again. That's why then Sharon contacted him first, it didn't take him long to make a decision, and he made an effort not to pry into any of it. Steve also knew they sent him on missions that would otherwise be directed Tony's way, so some days he allowed himself to look at it as his subtle connection to the Avengers that stayed in New York, as his way of helping, even if they would never learn about it, because knowing how it could all backfire, he made an extra effort to be as quiet and elusive as possible.

Of course, after all he went through, he should've expected his luck to run out at some point. As Steve was getting out of base and preparing to get to the jet, he heard a familiar sound of a suit of armor landing and repulsors charging to fire.

"Hands up and turn slowly," said Iron Man.

Steve froze in place. He could hear the fight starting as he was still retrieving the data and figured out that the Avengers got here, but he still hoped he had enough time to get out unnoticed. Him and Sharon were definitely going to have words about surprises like that. "I'm not with Hydra."

"Then you should have no problem showing me your face and talking."

Steve slowly turned around, his hands raised slightly in the air. 

"Wow, that's one hell of a costume. Hydra ran out of both fabric and concern for their soldiers? Not that they had a lot of the latter to begin with, I guess," Steve could almost see Tony raising an eyebrow to accompany the dry tone.

"I'm not with Hydra," he repeated, trying to make his voice lower in an attempt to hide his identity and at the same time allowing himself to gaze his fill at Tony. The suit looked different than he remembered, but he knew how fast Tony went through those, as if they cost him nothing. Still, the thought that this time he wasn't there for the change, couldn't furtively watch Tony in the workshop designing the new suit, made something inside him ache. 

"Who are you, then? New hero? I don't remember you registering."

Steve licked his lips, frowning. All the words he wanted to say to Tony ever since that day were stuck in his throat, but this wasn't the time and place for it. The data he came here for in the first place burned his pocket, the phone, an exact copy of the one he sent Tony, that still didn't ring once burned another. He needed a way out, and preferably one that didn't involve any more fighting, because he really couldn't see them getting out of that. So, after just a moment's consideration, Steve lied. "I'm just a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. Codename Nomad. Surprised they didn't warn me about you, actually. Or you about me." 

Steve tensed, fully expecting Tony to demand he take off his mask, but after a moment, Iron Man chuckled, the sound seeming as weird as it always did to Steve through the suit's dynamics and lowered the repulsors all the way. "What can I say, S.H.I.E.L.D. loves their secrets."

Steve raised his eyebrows under the mask, surprised at an abrupt change, but then it occurred to him, that Tony must’ve asked F.R.I.D.A.Y. to check with the S.H.I.E.L.D., and Sharon probably handled it, unlike telling him in time about Avenger’s involvement. Still, there was a possibility she just didn’t know.

"So do you, don't you?" Steve crossed his hands. "My handler would've warned me about you, if they knew, which makes me think they didn't. Do you even have permission to be here?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but we do," Iron Man mirrored his pose, which looked slightly awkward in a bulky metal suit. Steve felt himself smiling at the ridiculousness of that.

"I'm just trying to figure out where we're standing," he said in a more collected voice.

"Hmm," Tony positively crooned at him, his pose relaxing in reaction to Steve's calm. Steve knew him well enough to guess he was spotting an inviting smile behind that mask. "I wouldn't mind you standing a bit closer, Agent. This suit is positively something. Did your handler came up with that? I wonder what that relationship is like."

Most likely contrary to Tony's intent, the line brought forth the memory of Steve's and Sharon’s relationship slowly and painfully dying in the aftermath of Siberia. Steve cringed, which didn't go unnoticed by Tony. "Hit a nerve there?" he asked.

Steve snorted, crossing his hands again self-consciously. "Are you about to give me relationship advice?"

Tony gave a short surprised laugh. "If you know anything about me, you know I don't get asked for relationship advice."

"Everyone knows something about you," absently noticed Steve.

"Right," said Iron Man stepping from foot to foot. "And that's my cue to shut down this conversation."

Surprised, Steve blinked at him. "I didn't mean anything by it," he hurried to clarify. Data or not, he found himself unwilling to let Tony go now that he got his chance to talk to him, even if he was the only one aware they were talking. "I thought you liked being famous," too late, he noticed himself slipping a little, talking like he knew Tony, "I mean, anyone would like that, obviously. I just don't know how to talk to you," the phrase rung painfully true. Again, Steve hurried to salvage the situation and get away from an uncomfortable feeling in his chest making him tongue-tied. "I can't be the first one it happened to."

"You're flustered?" Tony took a step forward, and Steve could bet he was smiling. "You're a fan, then?"

Steve swallowed. "You could say that."

The tense silence that hung between them was interrupted by a distant explosion. Iron Man looked away. "Well, I'm terribly sorry to cut this conversation short, but there's still a Hydra's base that needs dealing with," he said in a dry tone and turned back to Steve. "I take it you got what you came here for, Nomad?" Steve nodded. He was running out of time, too, if he was still hoping to get to extraction point in time. But then Tony flipped up the faceplate, and all thoughts of responsibilities and S.H.I.E.L.D. flew out the window. "Just wanted to meet you properly," explained Tony, shrugging. "Seemed only fair."

"Thank you," dazed, answered Steve, taking an unconscious step forward. It was such a long time since he saw Tony. "Uh..." As Iron Man's words got processed a moment later, Steve touched the fabric of his mask with his fingertips. "I can't..."

"Don't worry about it," Tony was smiling now, too, and it was even longer since Steve saw that. "I figured you're not just an Agent. I'm not about to call troops on you."

"Alright," Steve smiled, but Tony wasn't done talking yet.

"There weren't be any troops if we ever get to meet again, either," the flirtatious tone was gone, and Tony's voice sounded like he meant it. But then, the smile was back, "I guess I have to promise that, if I hope to see you again. And I can't say I'm averse to that, exactly." He winked at Steve, flipped down the faceplate and fired off the repulsors, getting up in the air.

Steve watched him fly away, until Sharon's voice in the comm inquired sarcastically if he was, by any chance, done flirting and could hurry the fuck up.

"Language," absentmindedly reprimanded her Steve.

***

Bucky heard the knocking and, smiling, let in ex-Captain America and the king of Wakanda, because that's the kind of guests he was getting these days. T'Challa passed him a phone, and Stevie, always on high alert now, like Ross was hiding behind every corner, immediately frowned. "What's that?" 

Nonchalantly, Bucky shrugged and sat down on the sofa, putting the phone on the coffee table in front of him - screen up, Stark Industries logo down. "Just something to keep me entertained, 'cause unlike some people I can appreciate a smartphone."

As gifted as he was, Stevie managed to frown even harder. "I'm not a technophobe."

"Is that a flip-phone in your pocket, or are you just glad to see me?" T'Challa snickered, and Bucky mentally patted himself on the back.

Stevie blushed. "That's different."

T'Challa sighed, drawing attention to himself. "Alright, I'll leave you to catch up. Captain, come see me before you leave."

"Of course," Steve smiled and, as T'Challa left, walked a few circles around the small room restlessly. 

"So, how is it going," asked Bucky, not getting up from the sofa.

Steve shrugged, smiling slightly. "Not much new."

"Oh no," Bucky smiled back at him. "That smile is definitely something new. Are you and Sharon back together?"

"Uh... What? No," he stopped his pacing and gave Bucky an incredulous look. "I... uh... I've met Tony," confessed Steve, not quite meeting Bucky's eyes.

"Oh," Bucky sobered and straightened his back, leaning forward slightly. "Did you two talk?" Steve said nothing, and Bucky frowned, prompting him, "Steve?"

Steve lowered his gaze with a guilty look on his face, as if he gave a serious insult to the rug's parents and was not terribly sorry about the whole mess. "Tony doesn't know we've met."

"You didn't tell him you're Nomad?" Bucky sighed and covered his face with his hand. "Stevie... You do know that's exactly the kind of shit..."

"What was I supposed to tell him?" Steve raised his voice a bit to cut him off. "You know he won't talk to me!"

"Right, so the fact that he doesn't want to talk to you, somewhat understandably, I guess, somehow supposed to excuse all the lying," said Bucky in a dry tone, and Steve turned away. "What will you do when he finds out? 'Cause he will, eventually."

None of them said anything for a while. Bucky stared at the phone on the coffee table, wondering guiltily if his excuse for keeping silent was any more valid than Steve's. 

"Let's not talk about it," said Steve after some time, still not turning to him. Bucky sighed, put the phone in his pocket and pulled out the chess set.

"Well, then," he smiled. "Let me tell you all about the goats and rhinos and charming country life."

Steve took a seat across him with a tentative smile and they fell into familiar bickering, as Bucky continued an improvised inventory of his returning memories.

Hours later, when Steve had to leave after Sharon called him about a new mission, Bucky finally took out the phone again and unblocked the screen. It opened on a messenger app, one of Stark's own design, Bucky figured, as it was unfamiliar to him. The message said:

'Dear Mr Barnes,

Kindly fuck off.

Sincerely,  
Tony Stark.'

Bucky, who expected that getting any kind of response in their situation would be a victory, smiled contentedly at the screen.

***

Steve found himself lingering just a bit and straining his ears for the familiar sounds of repulsors during his next mission, and then the next one, and the next, but quite a while has passed since he saw Iron Man again, and even then it was actually War Machine that found him first.

"So, you must be a new hero that Tony can't shut up about," Rhodes asked him in a dry tone, flipping up the faceplate.

"Uh..." Steve took a step back, flustered and not quite sure how to behave. His gaze landed on Rhodes's legs. He heard from Sharon that War Machine's pilot got paralyzed because of what happened at the airport, and he wondered with an uncomfortable feeling in his chest, if the suit was keeping Rhodes up and if he had to wear it now to be able to walk. Before he could react, though, Iron Man landed next to them, immediately distracting Steve.

"Rhodey! Stop spreading lies about me," exclaimed Tony, laughing and, unsurprisingly, not at all embarrassed.

Rhodes snorted. "Lies, he says. I heard more about this suit and this body than I care to admit."

Tony shrugged, flipping up the faceplate and smiling cheekily at Steve, who felt his cheeks flush. "What can I say, it's a flattering suit on a stunning body."

"I knew you only cared about my body," Steve remarked, faking offence, but at the last moment sporting his own cheeky smile. The gaze Tony gave him at that was positively delighted.

"And," drawled Rhodes, "that's my cue to leave." Steve glanced at him and flinched at seeing his answering gaze, deadly serious and threatening. "Don't hurt him, or we'll have to see how good's your healing." Steve nodded, solemnly, feeling a wave of sadness come upon him. He knew he never wanted to hurt Tony. But he also couldn't quite deny he already managed that. He suddenly wondered how Rhodes would meet him, if he knew who was hiding behind that mask. "Alright, then," cheerfully continued Rhodes, unaware of thoughts going through Steve's mind. "Have fun, don’t come home early." At that, he fired off the repulsors and shot up in the air. Steve and Tony were left alone. Steve glanced at him and found Iron Man with a soft smile on his face.

"Well, someone did his best to ruin my game," he said, not taking his eyes off Steve. "Of course, you don't have to follow through on anything that Neanderthal just implied, but I was actually considering asking you on a date, you know, to get a chance to start caring about the rest of you. So, what'd you say?"

It was a terrible idea to say yes. Steve wasn’t actually that much of a fool to not understand that. His throat suddenly dry, Steve swallowed, and his lip formed the words of their own volition, "I’d love to."

***

Bucky knew Stark wouldn't be immediately willing to talk with him, but by then he spent quite a while remembering his friendship with Stevie and knew perfectly well he wasn't less stubborn than those two. He could also be way more subtle than Steve, at least, but this time he figured he just needed to annoy Stark into answering consistently. 

'Apples taste weird,' he wrote one sunny morning after throwing the fruit away unfinished. 'Is it a local thing or did you guys managed to ruin apples?'

'The world is a mess,' he typed while watching news in his cabin one evening. 'You would think we'd learn better by now, but it's just a bloody mess, isn't it. Makes it really hard to believe one day it'll get better for all of us.'

'A girl asked me today where's my other arm. To be honest, my brain's a bit of a mess, so I don't quite remember when it was taken. Have you seen it by any chance?'

A few minutes later, just 'cause he was feeling like messing with Stark, he sent a follow-up question: 'Should I post an ad? "Lost an arm, looks metal, hopefully isn't booby-trapped, approach with caution. Award for returning in good condition." Do you still post ads in newspapers? Does anyone even read those?'

One night, as he woke up ready to fight after dreaming of Hydra and places he couldn't quite remember and people he was almost sure he killed, he fired off a quick message: 'Hate getting nightmares.'

He lied in his bed for a while, with his eyes closed, trying to calm his racing heart. 'Do you get a lot of those, too?' he typed on Stark's fancy phone. 'Want to hear what mine was about?'

'I'm not your therapist, Barnes,' Stark finally wrote back. Bucky smiled in the dark.

The next morning, as he woke up after getting some more sleep, Bucky sent another message, not quite sure if he was going to regret it later: 'I didn't get a chance to say it before, and I don't quite know how to say it, but I am sorry for everything I've done. I'm sorry for what I've done to your parents.' He sighed, leaning back on the pillows. 'I knew your father, before. I used to admire him, as a lot of people did, I suppose.' There was something ugly and aching curling inside his heart, making the fingers on his only hand shake slightly, as he made himself continue. 'I'm sorry about the pain I caused you, too.'

Predictably, Stark didn't answer that.

***

The restaurant wasn't a kind of place Steve would ever go to on his own, just a bit too posh for his liking. It wasn't helped by the fact that he still was in his suit and could feel other people glancing at him uncomprehendingly and probably judging, but that wasn't the oddest situation he ever found himself in and if that was Tony's way of trying to impress him, Steve wasn't going to argue with that. Besides, after they got through a few uncomfortable questions about the past and him working with S.H.I.E.L.D. that Steve had to lie to, squirming in his seat, it was surprisingly easy to fall into a familiar rhyme of talking to Tony. And, as probably delicious food kept cooling off on his plate, Steve couldn't quite make himself take his eye off Tony for long enough to focus on anything else.

"Well, I hoped you enjoyed it as much as I did, maybe we could do it again sometime," remarked Tony with a slightly questioning tilt to his tone, as they were leaving the restaurant.

"Don't tell me you're the kind of man to wait till the third date," Steve surprised himself saying with a smile that he hoped looked inviting rather than embarrassed.

"Uh... really?" Tony stopped next to him on a side-walk, a little pleased smile on his face. "To be honest, you gave me more of a 'taking it slow till we both have blue balls' kind of vibe."

Steve shrugged. "I don't mind waiting if that's what you want."

"Oh, you wouldn't believe the things I want."

Steve smirked. "It seems for now you just want talking."

"Let me take you back to my place, then, to show you what else I can do."

Steve turned towards Stark Tower and almost started working, when his brain caught up with what was happening. He froze and cleared his throat. "Lead the way."

***

It was a good thing Bucky was so curious about technology, because, as it turned out, that was exactly the way to Tony Stark's heart. It also didn't hurt that, if questioned, Bucky could honestly say that he was completely genuine in his interest. Of course, he wasn't as surprised by technological advancements as Stevie, seeing as he did learn to use a lot of it before. But it's not as if Hydra was interested in explaining anything to him, or as if he would remember anything from their explanations, and he did want to know. It was also much easier to ask Stark, who was miles away, had the worst possible opinion about him already, and therefore, would not judge Bucky for not knowing how the internet works, or something. So he asked questions, and begrudgingly, Stark answered. 

The more Bucky asked though, the more Stark seemed to forget that he was meant to be giving him a cold shoulder, and before either of them knew, they had whole hours of uninterrupted conversations. And if Bucky was sneaky enough to hide a personal question or two in the mix, well that just showed how good he was, didn't it.

Sometimes, though, he wasn't even trying.

'Could you ever forgive me?' he wrote in the middle of the night after another nightmare. It kind of became a habit for him, but those kinds of conversations, while still painful, were a much better option than whatever letting his thoughts run away from him after such dreams would entail.

'I don't really have to,' answered Stark. It was evening in New York right now. Bucky idly wondered what was Stark up to. Stevie could probably guess.

'How do you mean?'

'I know how brain-washing works, I'm not an idiot. You had very little say in the matter.'

Bucky felt something tense and painful relaxing in his chest, not completely, but just a little bit, and snorted to cover up tears gathering in his eyes. 'Thanks. You still angry though.'

'You're telling me you wouldn't be?'

Well. Bucky sighed. That was fair.

***

Steve pressed Tony onto the bed, covering his neck and chest with fast little kisses. Tony was already half-naked, just with his trousers left on. "I can't take off my mask," Steve whispered.

Tony gave him a little smile, "It's alright." He reached for Steve. "Let me... let me do something for you?"

Steve took his hands, pressing them up into the bed and holding. "No, I want to," he paused, swallowing. "If you let me... I just want to..." He cursed himself for not being able to get any words out of his mouth, but Tony just smiled and relaxed on the bed.

"Alright, do whatever you want."

***

‘Do you think you’re going to forgive Steve anytime soon?’ This message, surprisingly, was not preceded by a nightmare.

‘Did Hydra made him lie to me, too?’ Bucky could just hear the tone with which Stark would say that. He sighed.

‘Well technically he didn’t lie.’

‘Well technically I don’t care.’

Bucky snorted. If nothing else worked out, he hoped Stark would still talk to him, he kind of liked the almost friendship they had going on at this point.

‘How would you say that? If situation was reversed?’

Bucky was serious about getting his answer this time, so when Stark kept ignoring him for a while, he continued pushing: ‘Hi, Steve, I’m sorry to say this to you, but Rhodes killed your parents. He was brain-washed at the time, though, so it’s okay. Please don’t drag him to prison.’ Bucky could imagine Stark bursting with indignation at the assumption, but guess what, he actually thought it was quite clever of him.

Five minutes later, still nothing. ‘Well if anything I think forgiving him and letting go of all of that would do a lot of good for you, too.’

‘You’re not my therapist either, Barnes,’ finally answered Stark. Bucky snorted again. Evidently, they all needed one. An image of all the Avengers and himself at a group therapy suddenly popped in his mind and he cackled like a madman.

***

It was dark, what was left of the room illuminated only by light from Tony's arc reactor and repulsors. The Hydra soldiers blew up the building as they were abandoning it, and Tony and him got trapped under the rubble which Iron Man was now crawling around, trying to find a way to lift it safely from where they were stuck. Steve could probably join him and just push his way through, but he found himself hesitating. There was plenty of space here, so they weren't in danger of running out of oxygen just yet, and even if they couldn't get out on their own, S.H.I.E.L.D. would come looking for him sooner or later. Steve already alerted Sharon to the situation, so it was just a matter of time. 

It was just as well, because Steve had plans for tomorrow that he absolutely wasn't going to miss because of some Hydra goons. Well, Tony had plans, really, because it was going to be four months since Iron Man and Nomad started seeing each other, and Tony planned something special for them. It was a bit funny, too, since they still haven't talked properly about going out or being boyfriends, or whatever Iron Man would choose to call them, but that was exactly what they were doing, and even if they didn't have a proper name for it, Steve was happy.

Of course, it wasn't all perfect. They still found things to disagree about as easily as before, but they also both seemed so much lighter, without their history weighing them down. And Steve would never stop marveling at how good he seemed to have become at putting a smile on Tony's face. And waking up next to him in the morning, even with the mask all scrunched up and making him sweat, he felt so warm and peaceful, as if feeling that way was supposed to be effortless. He loved it. He loved Tony. He also was pretty sure Tony was close to feeling something similar, and that, more than his own feelings, made it all wrong.

The whole thing already came close to blowing up in his face a few times, when Tony unexpectedly woke up earlier than him and his mask was close to slipping, or when it almost got torn off him by the enemy. And every time this happened, and Tony flinched, hurriedly turning away from him to preserve his secret, Steve wasn't quite sure, if what he feeling was more relief or disappointment. Bucky's voice kept repeating on a loop in his head: 'what if he finds out?' Then one day, his own voice continued: 'are you sure you want him to learn like this?'

"Tony," Steve blurted out, surprising himself.

"Yeah?" asked Tony distractedly.

"I need to tell you something," his throat was so dry suddenly, it was almost painful to speak.

"Yeah? What is it?" Tony continued in the same tone, trying to pull at a shaft without disturbing anything around it.

"Will you stop this? I need to talk to you," a sudden wave of irritation made Steve raise his voice.

Tony flinched and turned to him abruptly. "Is everything okay? Are you hurt?"

"Yeah," Steve swallowed. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just have something I really need to tell you."

Tony flipped up the faceplate and crawled back to him, sitting next to Steve and leaning on a piece of rubble. There was a playful smile on his face. "Yeah? Well go ahead and say it, no need to be so mysterious about it."

"Alright," Steve took a breath and then came out with it in one go. "My name's Steve Rogers."

Tony's face froze. Steve imagined him tensing up under the armor. "That's not funny."

"I'm not joking," he whispered back, his voice suddenly gone.

They stayed silent for a while, just looking at each other, and then Steve opened his mouth to say something, he wasn't quite sure what. Only at the sight of it Tony made a noise like a wounded animal. Steve shut up. 

In the tense silence that stretched while S.H.I.E.L.D. dug them out, it occurred to Steve that a man with a plan should've definitely planned that conversation beforehand, if he wanted to escape hurting Tony, but that, if anything, he seemed to be outstandingly good at.

When Tony left as soon as he can, without even once looking at him, Steve told himself that he expected that and therefore should not be disappointed. It didn't help.

***

When Bucky learned about Nomad dating Iron Man and mentally prepared to be there for Steve when it all was over, he did not expect Steve to be so resigned about that. So really, he was left with no choice but to try to appeal to another party.

'I doubt I can say anything to change your mind, but I'm not above begging you to give it a chance, if that's something you're into' he wrote to Stark that night when Stevie finally fell asleep. 'Since there are now two idiots that I care about hurting because they can't talk it out.'

He didn't expect Stark to answer anything, so he just kept going, 'I mean, you gave me a chance which I've never really expected, so you're clearly a better man around here, and I can promise Stevie's not that much of an idiot with proper guidance. You fell for him twice, clearly that should tell you something.'

He stopped for a moment, fingers hovering above the screen, thinking of anything else to say, but ultimately, the choice wasn't his to make. 'He's in Wakanda.'

***

At the verge of waking up, Steve heard knocking and then Bucky coming up to the door to let in whoever it was. Not feeling like getting up just now, or ever, really, Steve burrowed deeper into the cushions. Until he heard the voices. He shot up from the bed like it was on fire and almost ran to the door just in his pants, not pausing to put on some clothes.

And that was how they met each other again: Steve in his plain black boxers and Tony in a three-piece suit.

"Alright," Bucky drawled slowly, "I'll leave you to it, then." He turned to the door, and walked out, yelling at the last moment, "don't ruin my house!"

Steve looked at Tony, who was, apparently, too busy staring it his chest. Suddenly self-conscious, Steve crossed his arms. "It's nothing you haven't seen before," he said.

"Well," Tony finally looked up to meet his gaze. "I wasn't exactly aware I was seeing you, was I? That's a bit of a novel feeling."

"Right," Steve bit his lip, dropping his gaze to the floor and fighting with guilt gnawing at his insides. 

Tony sighed. "I can't just forgive you, Rogers."

"Mhm," Steve wasn't exactly sure, what he sounded from afar, but his tone sure as hell didn't sound pretty to his ears. The guilt was winning.

"I'm just... it's hard, okay? And... and you hurt me."

"I know," Steve frowned, lowering his head even further.

Tony sighed again, more exasperated and ran a hand over his face. "Jesus Christ, Barnes is right, we all need therapy. I can guess how hard it was to tell me. And I should've talked to you about all the other stuff with the Accords. So let's try that now, why the hell not."

Steve looked at Tony abruptly and saw him take a cautious step forward. "What do you say?" He took another step. "Let's talk about it?"

Steve nodded passionately. "Yes. Yes, I want to talk," he nodded again for a good measure and came closer to him.

Tony looked away and gave him a guarded smile. "Just go put on some clothes first. You're distracting like that."


End file.
